When the real estate market was booming in 2004, sales were coming at a frantic pace and Century 21 was, in the words of the Mennonites, \342\200\234blessed with much to do.\342\200\235 So much that real estate agent Mike Draper badly needed help.


Julie Draper\342\200\231s specialty has always been organization. At the time she had a job she loved with the Humane Society of Washington County, but she could see that her husband was in critical need of her skills. \342\200\234I loved that job and the work we did at HSWC for the animals,\342\200\235 she says. \342\200\234It will always hold a very special place in my heart. I reluctantly left that position to swoop in and save the day\342\200\246. At least that\342\200\231s how I remember it, and what I constantly remind Mike of.\342\200\235

Mike Draper could not be reached for comment.

Julie and Mike had met while Julie was attending Shephard University and were both working at Ritz Camera. Working side-by-side would become a lifetime pattern. \342\200\234My favorite part about owning a real estate brokerage with my husband is being able to go to work every day with my best friend,\342\200\235 Julie says. \342\200\234I feel lucky that I get to spend the time with my husband that most people don\342\200\231t. I know to most people the thought of working with their spouse sounds like a nightmare but, to Mike and I, it\342\200\231s how our story began.\342\200\235

Julie is a licensed Realtor, which allows her to understand the details of the business, but instead of selling properties she manages them for owners who do not have the time or expertise to handle all the tedious but necessary tasks of processing tenant rent payments, processing property owner income payments, logging and paying vendor bills, generating monthly statements for both tenants and property owners, updating and managing the database and management software for tenants and property owners.

And if that wasn\342\200\231t enough fun, Julie is also the firm\342\200\231s office co-manager and is the go-to person for whipping up graphic designs, postcards, reports, magazine ads, signage, social media promotions and, in baseball parlance, all those little things that don\342\200\231t show up in the box scores.

Julie\342\200\231s nurturing side comes out as a board member for the Humane Society and the Miss Washington County and Miss Western Maryland Scholarship Foundation. When not in the office, Julie enjoys traveling, unwinding at the movies and showering attention on loveable creatures that depend on her for care, like her dog Riley\342\200\224and, of course, Mike.